Currents of history

Amitav Ghosh speaks to Anjana Rajan on the release of “River of Smoke”, the second part of his Ibis trilogy

Amitav Ghosh. Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

Considering the size of the novels and their filigreed detailing, Amitav Ghosh has not made us wait long for the second part of his Ibis trilogy. For his fans, though, it has been as agonisingly long as any cliff-hanger. What would become of Deeti, the feisty woman who married the ‘outcaste' Kalua, and now pregnant with his child?

What of the enterprising Zachary, of Paulette and Munia and the other desperate fugitives making a bid for a dubious freedom beyond the black waters by signing up as indentured labourers bound for Mauritius? And what of the graceful Ibis, the ship of dream and nightmare?

As the trilogy's second part, “River of Smoke”, released by Penguin in New Delhi this Wednesday, hits the stands, Ghosh admits to having found it a “very accelerated schedule”. And if “Sea of Poppies” was mostly based in India, and “River of Smoke” in China, one wonders where the third part will come to rest. The author offers no hints. For now, though, it's time to float on the opiate of compelling fiction. If only we could remember it is based on history, on the injustices of the Opium Wars. How can today's ardent advocates of “free trade” and economic reforms forget that this unsavoury episode of history was the “founding act of free trade,” he asks. Edited excerpts from an interview with the celebrated author:

On “River of Smoke” not continuing straight on from “Sea of Poppies”

Yes, absolutely. Although these books are part of a trilogy, it is not a continuation. Then I would be writing the same book, and I don't want to be writing the same book all the time. I never thought of it as a linear series. What I had in mind was something like The Alexandria Quartet. Although the books are linked thematically, the relationship is much less direct.

On his acquired mastery over the techniques of seafaring and the science of opium production, revealed in “Sea of Poppies” and now his expertise as a botanist and as an art historian too

The wonderful thing about the novel, I think, like Einstein's general theory, is it's a unified field. It can bring everything into it. I have an interest in many things. But most of all, it's Canton itself. It's a tiny place, a quarter of a mile in length and less than half of that in width. Yet it contributed all the jade, all the porcelain, [so many of the] botanical plants…The genetic strains that came out of China have transformed the landscape of the world. In the 18th Century, what is considered the English garden came into being — many of these techniques came from China. I've always had a great interest in the natural world. When I started writing “Sea of Poppies” I knew it would have a lot of botany. After all the entire trade (between China and the British East India Company and other western countries) was based on two plants: the poppy and the camellia.

On not having research assistants or teams…

No, I've often thought of it, but it just doesn't work for me. I'm not a member of a university, so I don't have access to many libraries, so people help me. But even if someone gets it for me, I can't imagine not reading it all myself. When “Sea of Poppies” was published, a lot of people wrote to me offering to help in the research.

On representing the different characters each with a unique dialect

I had so much fun writing Robin Chinnery's letters! But it was possible because it was based on a real person. George Chinnery (Robin's father) was a real person. He lived in Calcutta. All that is known about the sons (born to George Chinnery's Indian mistress) are their names and birth. (So Robin's character is entirely from the author's imagination.) In a way a character doesn't really come alive [without that]. If I were making a film, the facial movements, etc., would be important, but because I'm a writer, it's the voice of the character.

Some writers say people are afraid to share experiences with them, for fear they will end up in the next novel…

On the contrary, people tell me their stories all the time. I'm a good listener. I think it's my training at the Indian Express. And people say, ‘You can put this in one of your books.' But it doesn't work that way…

On the agenda of economic reforms pushing India's Nehruvian socialism to the backburner

I just wonder how can they be so ignorant…John Slade and all these people were real people… I'm not against trade. I think trade is a very important part of life. It's an essential human need….but life must govern trade. In India we know that this regulation that was put on trade was what protected us from the [damaging effects of] the recession.